The Shetucket River is a tributary of the Thames River, approximately 25 mi (40 km) long, in eastern Connecticut in the United States.

It is formed at Willimantic by the junction of the Willimantic and Natchaug rivers. It flows southeast and south. Approximately 4 mi (6.4 km) northeast of Norwich it receives the Quinebaug River and broadens into a wide estuary which stretches southeast for approximately 5 mi (8 km) and joins the Thames estuary on the south side of Norwich.

The river flows through an especially unspoiled rural section of southern New England, despite the historical prevalence of industry in the surrounding region. Parts of the rivers have been designated by the federal government as the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor . The National Park Service describes the river valley as the "last green valley" in the Boston-to-Washington megalopolis. In nighttime satellite photos, the valley appears distinctively dark amidst the lights of the surrounding urban and suburban regions.

See also

• List of Connecticut rivers

External links

• National Park Service: Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor
• LastGreenValley.org